William m



W. M. HORTON.

ELECTRIC HORN.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. 8. 1917.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. HORTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADAMS-BAGNALL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. V

ELECTRIC HORN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 11 1919 Application filed February 8, 1917. Serial No; 147,419.

larly to the class of electrically operated horns for motor vehicles, the object of the invention being to provide a very simple, effective and durable electrically operated horn.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a 'rear view of the actuating mechanism of this improved horn; and Fig. 2 is a crosssectlonal vlew taken in line 22 Flg. 1,

' looking in the direction of the arrows. 20.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

This improved horn comprises the usual flaring member 2, having an annular groove 3 into which is secured a disk formed member Al, having aninwardly turned flange 5 adapted to secure therein another disk formed member 6. These disk formed members form therebetween a diaphragm chamber 7 the diaphragm of which has its outer edge clamped between the opposing faces of the members 4 and 6. The diaphragm is provided centrally thereof with a projection or stud 9, extending through an openlng 1n the disk member 6 in position to be engaged by a toothed wheel 10, thereby to vibrate on the rotation of the wheel the diaphragm within its chamber and produce the signal; Secured to the disk member 6 is a bracket 11 for supporting the several parts of the diaphragm actuating means and secured within this bracket is a sleeve 12 carrying the motor or electro-magnet 13. Located in this sleeve for sliding movement is a plunger or core 14, having a reduced portion or stem 15 terminating in a head or disk 16. The

outer end of the core or plunger 14 is pro contact with the contact portion 22 of the 7 core or plunger. The opposite wall 25 of the bracket is provided with a pair of spaced bearings 26 for the reception of a rotary shaft 27, and to this shaft between the bearings 26 is fixed a ratchet wheel 28 engaging which is a pawl 29 pivotally supported between t he upper ends of a pair of arms 30 loosely'mounted on the shaft 27 for swinging movement, and between which arms is also located the ratchet wheel 28 hereinbefore referred to. These arms 30 have their opposite or lower ends projecting into position one at each side of the stem 15 of the plunger or core, whereby the arms will be shifted back and forth in the manner hereinafter described. For maintaining the pawl in engagement with the ratchet wheel 28 and also to swing the arms 30 in one direction thereis provided a spring 31 connected to the pawl, and a fixed part 32 secured to the bracket. The ratchet wheel is maintained against slipping backward by a suitable spring pawl 33 secured to the member 32. It will be understood, of course, that the electro-magnet is suitably connected with a source of electrical energy in some such manner as shown at 35, Fig. 1. Se-

cured to the end of the shaft 27 is the toothed wheel 10 hereinbefore referred to in" position, as stated, to engage a tooth, projection or stud 9 of the diaphragm 8; Of course itwill be understood that'necessary where required.

From the foregoing it will be seen that on the movement of the core back and forth in a manner which'will be readily understood the member 30 and thereby the pawl 29 will insulations are used for the several parts be oscillated to shift the ratchet wheel and thereby rotate the toothed wheel 10 to vibrate' the diaphragm. In other words the spring 31 acts not only to keep the pawl 29 in engagement with the ratchet wheel, but

also to swing the member 80 so that the lower end thereof will shift the core or plunger outwardly or in one direction into position to make contact with the contact member 17 thereby to close the circuit, whereupon the magnet will operate to retract the plunger or core and break the circuit. This make and break action continues as long as the proper switch or push-button, usually used, is manipulated to connect the magnet with the source of electrical energy. In consequence there is a continuous make and break action between the contact portions 17 and 22 which results in the continuous rot-ation of the toothed wheel 10 and thereby the operation of the diaphragm.

By means of the present improvement I am able to provide a musical horn, if this is found desirable, by merely prolonging the shaft 27, and locating thereon a plurality of toothed wheels of different diameters each adapted to engage a projection 9 of the diaphragm, which projections, of course, would be of different lengths to conform to the different diameters of the toothed wheels, whereby the Sound of the horn may be very much varied, and in fact so arranged as to give a musical sound if desired.

The actuating mechanism is inclosed in a suitable casing 35 secured to the disk 6 in a suitable manner, usually by screws, and the whole is supported by a bracket 40 by means of which the same may be attached to the vehicle at any desired place.

t will be understood, of course, that the various details may be more or less changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the present improvement.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a signaling device, the combination of an electromagnet having a shiftable plunger, a contact member cooperating therewith, a swinging member projecting into said plunger, a shaft supporting said swinging member at one side of said plunger, a pawl carried by said swinging member, a ratchet wheel carried by said shaft and rotated by said pawl, a toothed wheel rotated by said ratchet wheel and a diaphragm vibrated through the medium of said toothed wheel.

2. In a signaling device, the combination of an electro-magnet having a shiftable plunger, a contact member directly coiiperating with one end of said plunger, a swinging member projecting into said plunger, a shaft loosely supporting the swinging member at one side of said plunger, a pawl carried by said swingin member, a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft and rotated by said pawl, a toothed wheel also fixed to the shaft and rotated thereby, means for shifting said swinging member thereby to shift the plunger into engagement with its contact memher, a diaphragm, and means operated through the medium of the toothed wheel for vibrating said diaphragm.

3. A signaling device comprising sound producing means, means for actuating it including a swinging member, mechanical means for swinging said member in one direction, an electro-magnet, a reciprocating plunger located within said magnet and permanently connected with said swinging member for shifting it in the opposite direction, and a contact member in position to engage the end of said plunger, the swinging member having its connection with the plunger adjacent to the contact end of said plunger.

A signaling device comprising sound producing means, means for actuating it including a swinging member, a spring for swinging said member in one direction, an

electro-magnet, a reciprocating plunger located within said magnet, said swinging member having connection with said plunger between the ends thereof for shifting said swinging member in the opposite direction, and a contact member in position to cooperate with the end of said plunger.

5. A signaling device comprising a diaphragm, a toothed wheel adapted to vibrate said diaphragm, a shaft carrying said wheel, a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft, a pawl in engagement with said ratchet wheel, a swinging member carrying said pawl and loosely mounted on the shaft, a spring for shifting said swinging member in one direction, and electro-i'nagnetic means for shifting the member in the opposite direction and including a shiftable plunger in engagement with said swinging member, said plunger having a contact portion, and a contact member adapted to cooperate therewith.

6, A signaling device comprising sound producing means including a rotating member, means for actuating it including a shaft, a, swinging member mounted upon said shaft and projecting to opposite sides thereof, means carried by one end of saidmember for effecting the operation of said sound producing means, means for swinging said member in one direction, an electro-magnet having a shiftable plunger connected with the other end of said swinging member for shifting it in the opposite direction, and a contact member in position to engage the end of said plunger, the swinging member having its connection with the plunger adjacent to the contact end of said plunger.

7. A signaling device comprising a diaphragm, means for actuating the diaphragm including a swinging member, a spring connected with one end of said swinging member for swinging it in one direction, an electromagnet having a shiftable plunger provided with a contact end and permanently connected with the other end of said swinging member for shifting it in the opposite direction, the connection of the plunger with the swinging member being in the rear of but adjacent to the contact end of said plunger, and contact means in position to engage the contact end of said plunger.

8. A horn having a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm supported therein, a toothed wheel rotatably supported in position to vibrate said diaphragm, pawl and ratchet mechanism for rotating said wheel continuously in one direction, a swinging member carrying said pawl at one end thereof, a spring connected with one end of said swinging member for shifting it in one direction, and an electro-magnet having a shiftable plunger connected with the other end of said swinging member for shifting it in the op posite direction.

9. A horn having a diaphragm, a toothed wheel rotatably supported in position for movement in one direction to vibrate said diaphragm, a shaft carrying said wheel, a ratchet wheel fixed to said shaft, a pawl for shifting said ratchet wheel, a swinging member loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying said pawl, a spring effective to shift said swinging member in one direction, an electro-magnet, a sliding plunger located within said magnet and connected with and effective to shift said swinging member in the opposite direction, and means adapted to contact with said plunger intermittently.

10. A signaling device comprising a cliaphragm, a toothed wheel adapted to vibrate said diaphragm, a shaft carrying said wheel, a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft, a pawl in engagement with said ratchet wheel, a swinging arm carrying said awl and also mounted on the shaft, a sprlng for shifting said arm in one direction, an electro-magnet, a sliding plunger carried by said magnet and also operatively connected with said swing ing arm to shift it ina direction opposite to that in which it is shifted by the spring.

11. A signaling device having a diaphragm, means for engaging saiddiaphragm to vibrate it, and means for actuating said means and comprising an electrically operated make and break mechanism consisting of an electro-magnet, a sliding plunger located within and reciprocating relatively to said magnet, a contact member cooperating therewith, and means connected with and operated by said plunger for actuating said diaphragm vibrating means and comprising a swinging arm operatively connected with said plunger, a pawl carried by said arm, a ratchet wheel operated by said pawl, and a spring for shifting said arm in one direction.

12. A signaling device comprising sound producing means and means for actuating it including a swinging member, a pawl carried by said swinging member, a ratchet wheel operated by said pawl, a spring effective to maintain said pawl in engagement with said ratchet wheel and also effective to pull said swinging member in one direction, and an electro-magnet having a shiftable plunger also connected with said swinging member for shifting it in the opposite direction.

Signed at Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, this 29th day of January,

WILLIAM M. HORTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (1. 

